The Election
by BellwetherCounty
Summary: Written in the style of a Victorious episode - It's election season at Hollywood Arts! When Tori decides to run for student-body President, a familiar frenemy rears her head to stop her. How far will she go? How nasty will things get?
1. Cold Open and Act I - A New Election

This fanfic is written in the style of an actual script for Victorious. I wanted to try and write something that was more in line with what might actually be seen on the show if it was still being produced. I have several others in the works as well!

I hope that you enjoy and please do leave me a review! Let me know if you'd like to see more or if you'd like to see more scripts!

This "chapter" covers the COLD OPEN and ACT I. ACT II coming later this week!

VICTORiOUS

"THE ELECTION"

ORIGINAL SPEC SCRIPT

Screenplay by BELLWETHERCOUNTY

**DISCLAIMER**

This script is not intended to push any particular political agenda or endorse any particular political party/philosophy.

COLD OPEN

INT. HOLLYWOOD ARTS (SIKOWITZ CLASSROOM) – DAY

MR. SIKOWITZ STANDS ON THE DAIS IN FRONT OF THE CLASS. THE WHITEBOARD BEHIND HIM IS COVERED IN VARIOUS SCRIBBLINGS AND DOODLES, MOST PROMINENT IS AN AMERICAN FLAG.

MR. SIKOWITZ: - and that is how famed Hollywood Arts donor Ronald Wilson Reagan won the 1984 election in a landslide over challenger Walter Mondale, sweeping every state except for Minnesota and Washington D.C. Now, as we all-

CAT: (interrupting) - ooo! This one time, my brother got sent to live on a farm in Minnesota. I assumed he got to play with goats and sheep and chickens but my parents said it wasn't that kind of farm...

MR. SIKOWITZ STOPS SPEAKING; SEVERAL HEADS TURN TO LOOK AT CAT WITH CONFUSED EXPRESSIONS.

MR. SIKOWITZ: ...well that was a useless waste of everybody's time.

JADE NODS AGREEINGLY AND GOLF CLAPS. CAT SLUMPS BACK IN HER SEAT, DEJECTED.

MR. SIKOWITZ: Now, as we all know, our votes mean next to nothing in this so-called "United States" and the fat-cats in Washington run things through secret back-room deals with the Turkish, Hungarian, and Colombian governments in a bunker located deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean.

THE CONFUSED EXPRESSIONS NOW FOCUS ON MR. SIKOWITZ.

ANDRE: How do you know all of this?

MR. SIKOWITZ REALIZES HE HAS SAID TOO MUCH.

MR. SIKOWITZ: ...I have my sources.

MORE CONFUSED EXPRESSIONS.

MR. SIKOWITZ: But that is exactly why we will be hosting our own student body elections over the next six weeks. You, the people of Hollywood Arts, will choose the next Hollywood Arts student body President. During the race, the President chooses his or her Vice President and, upon election, his or her own cabinet. You serve for a term of exactly one year.

SIKOWITZ PRODUCES A SHEET OF PAPER ENTITLED "CANDIDATE SIGN-UP"

MR. SIKOWITZ: I will be posting this sign-up sheet on the corkboard in the commons. You have until next Monday to enter the primaries. Our first round of voting will be that Friday. The top three vote-getters will then choose their running mates and advance to the general election. The final vote will happen on Tuesday the 3rd.

JADE: (not looking up and nonchalantly picking at her nails) Oh boy, a giant popularity contest where the most vapid and self-centered attention-hogs try to out-do each other and compensate for their many failures in other areas of life.

REX: (in a teary-eyed, choked-up voice) God bless America!

END OF COLD OPEN

THEME SONG: "MAKE IT SHINE" (VICTORIA JUSTICE)

ACT I

SCENE TRANSITION

EXT. HOLLYWOOD ARTS (ASPHALT CAFE)

THE GANG SITS AROUND A TABLE, EATING LUNCH.

ROBBIE: So is anybody here actually thinking of running?

TORI: I was considering it...

ANDRE: Really?

TORI: Yeah! It kinda sounds like fun. And anything's better than our current President.

BECK: Trump?

TORI: What? No, well, I mean, yes, obviously, but what I m-

BEFORE TORI CAN FINISH HER SENTENCE, TRINA APPEARS ATOP THE BALCONY ABOVE THE COURT WEARING A SASH READING "MADAME PRESIDENT" AND BLARING "HAIL TO THE CHIEF" FROM A PAIR OF BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS.

AN ATTRACTIVE BRUNETTE STANDS BESIDE HER WEARING A SASH READING "MADAME VICE PRESIDENT".

EVERYBODY TURNS TO LOOK AT THE PAIR. A ROLLED UP BANNER HANGS ALONG THE RAILING.

TRINA: (through a megaphone that is turned up to maximum volume) My loyal subjects!

NOBODY REACTS.

TRINA: As your reigning student-body President, I would just like to say that the past year has been nothing short of amazing!

SILENCE STILL, SAVE FOR A FEW LONE CLAPS.

TRINA: Thank you, thank you.

SHE WAVES TO THE APATHETIC CROWD.

TRINA: The amount of love that you have shown me as your fearless, beautiful, talented, beautiful leader has been incredible. And that is why I, Trina S. Vega, am officially announcing my glorious re-election campaign for the coming school year!

SHE PULLS ON A STRING AND UNFURLS THE PREVIOUSLY ROLLED-UP BANNER ALONG THE BALCONY RAILING. THE ELABORATELY DECORATED BANNER READS "TRINA 2020" WITH THE SLOGAN "SHOW ME YOU LOVE ME AGAIN!" BENEATH IT.

THE UNVEILING IS MET WITH SILENCE, SAVE FOR A FEW UNDERWHELMING CLAPS.

TORI TURNS BACK TO THE GANG.

TORI: Remind me. How and why did you people elect *her* as your President?

BECK: We have Alexa Tanner and Lisa Robinson to thank for that.

TORI: What? How?

BECK (to Tori): Well, last year's general election had Alexa, Lisa, and Trina as the candidates. Alexa and Lisa were the clear frontrunners. Trina was...a pretty long shot.

ROBBIE (chiming in): Long shot is being polite. During the first debates, she answered the question "if elected President, what would your first priority be on day number one?" with "transfer the ugly kids to another school".

BECK (to Tori): She was polling in the single digits with a week to go before the vote.

ANDRE (chiming in, to Tori): Yeah, but then a bunch of texts got leaked that Alexa had sent to her boyfriend where she called Hollywood Arts a trash heap and that the students were a "basket of idiots"...plus some more colorful stuff.

ROBBIE (to Tori): And it turned out Lisa had was paying a bunch of students here to vote for her.

REX: Heck yes, she did. I got five bucks.

BECK (to Tori): So then on election day, a ton of students voted for Trina out of protest.

CAT SHAKES HER HEAD.

CAT (to the group): Not me. I wrote in Daffy Duck on my ballot.

ONCE AGAIN, CAT'S COMMENT DRAWS CONFUSED LOOKS FROM THE REST OF THE GANG.

CAT (meekishly): I like his immigration policies.

TORI BRIEFLY WIDENS HER EYES AND SHAKES HER HEAD BEFORE RESUMING THE CONVERSATION.

TORI (to Beck): So Trina really won by that much?

BECK (to Tori): Oh no, she got a lot more votes than she would have otherwise, but she still only won by a super-narrow margin.

TORI SMIRKS.

TORI: (sarcastically) Well at least she took that as a humble victory and didn't let it go to her head.

SHE GESTURES TO THE SLOGAN ON THE GIANT TRINA 2020 BANNER HANGING ABOVE THEM.

TORI: So! Would I have your guy's votes?

ALL NOD IN AGREEMENT EXCEPT FOR JADE.

TORI COCKS HER HEAD DISAPPROVINGLY AT HER.

JADE: I'm a non-voter. Student government is for losers.

JADE PAUSES.

JADE: Hey, that actually sounds perfect for you!

TORI ROLLS HER EYES.

SCENE TRANSITION

INT. HOLLYWOOD ARTS (COMMONS) - DAY

TORI WRITES HER NAME ON THE SIGN-UP SHEET AS ANDRE, CAT, AND ROBBIE/REX LOOK ON.

CAT: Yay, Tori!

ROBBIE: The beginnings of our hottest President yet.

TORI FLASHES ROBBIE A DISGUSTED EXPRESSION.

ROBBIE (to Tori, pointing at Rex): ...he said it. I tried to stop him.

TRINA ROUNDS THE CORNER – STILL WEARING THE "MADAME PRESIDENT" SASH. A GROUP OF WELL-DRESSED STUDENTS (HER ADVISORS) HOLDING CLIPBOARDS FOLLOWS CLOSELY BEHIND.

SHE CROSSES HER ARMS.

TRINA: (disdainfully) So. The snake comes out of the grass - my own sister running against me. Well good luck with your little coup because this school and its students love me.

TORI: Really? Because the last time I checked, your polling numbers were in the garbage. Don't you have something like a ten-percent approval rating?

TRINA: Those polls are obviously rigged against the beautiful and the gifted.

TORI: Or it could be that executive order where you tried to abolish all future elections and make yourself (clears throat and speaks in deep and haute tone): "Eternal Queen of Hollywood Arts".

TRINA STARES BLANKLY AT TORI. SHE SEES NO ISSUE WITH THIS.

TRINA: Yeah? And?

ONE OF TRINA'S ADVISORS WHISPERS SOMETHING IN HER EAR. TRINA WHISPERS BACK. THE ADVISOR BRISKLY WALKS AWAY AROUND THE CORNER.

ROBBIE (to Trina): What was that?

TRINA (to Robbie): Sorry puppetmaster, that's classified. It's super important school president business that's of school security concerns.

THE ADVISOR'S HEAD POPS AROUND THE CORNER.

ADVISOR 1: Wait, Madame President? Did you want that with caramel or chocolate?

TRINA THINKS FOR A MOMENT.

TRINA: ...let's go with caramel.

SHE TURNS AND WALKS AWAY OFFSCREEN, HEELS CLICKING, HER TEAM OF ADVISORS IN TOW.

REX: Truly a woman of the people. A VERY ATTRACTIVE woman of the people.

TORI GIVES ROBBIE THE SAME DISGUSTED LOOK AS BEFORE.

ROBBIE (to Tori, pointing at Rex): ...again, he said it, not me.

ROBBIE QUICKLY CHANGES THE SUBJECT.

ROBBIE (to Andre, Cat, and Tori): Hey! Let's go grab some sushi to celebrate Tori's campaign!

CAT: That sounds great! Tori?

TORI: Sure! You two go ahead. I just need to grab something out of my locker.

ROBBIE, CAT, AND ANDRE WALK AWAY TOGETHER. THEY PASS BY JADE MAKING A BEELINE FOR THE SIGN-UP SHEET.

IN FRONT OF TORI, JADE TAKES A PEN AND WRITES HER NAME ON THE FORM. TORI IS SHOCKED.

TORI: Jade! I thought you said that student-body government was for losers.

JADE: Oh. It is.

TORI (puzzled): So...then why—?

JADE: - because becoming President would make you happy. And I just can't have that. So I run in the primaries, take votes away from you, and keep you from achieving that happiness.

TORI FROWNS.

TORI: But...being President could be a huge plus on my college applications!

JADE FEIGNS DEEP THOUGHT.

JADE: Huh, I hadn't considered that. And you're right, you REALLY don't have much else going for you...

TORI NARROWS HER EYES AND GLARES AT HER.

JADE: Eh, that unhappiness is too far in the future. I could be enjoying your unhappiness much closer to now.

TORI: You know? You're pure evil sometimes.

JADE SMIRKS.

JADE: Yeah, I've always been told I'd make a good politician.

JADE WALKS AWAY, LEAVING BEHIND A VISIBLY-ANNOYED TORI.

TORI (yelling after Jade): Do you WANT Sinjin as President? Because this is how we end up with Sinjin as President!

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT I


	2. Act II - Vega 2020

**Due to 's policy of not allowing script format fanfics, I have changed the format of this fanfic to a semi-script/semi-novel. I apologize for the inconvenience and if any readers have difficulty following this new form, so please bear with me!**

I realize that this is a different sort of Victorious fanfic than is usually posted; my goal was to stick to a more realistic episode-format with regards to the humor, timing, and acting. In that respect, I thank you so much for the views and the reviews!

As always, please do leave a review when you're done reading! Act III coming next week!

ACT II

TRANSITION

STATUS (TORI): READY TO KICK OFF THIS CAMPAIGN! TORI 2020! [FEELING: PRESIDENTIAL]

INT. LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM – DAY

TORI, ROBBIE/REX, CAT, AND ANDRE VARIOUSLY SIT/STAND AMIDST OPEN LAPTOPS, OPEN BOOKS, AND STACKS OF PAPERS. A LARGE FLAT SCREEN MONITOR IS MOUNTED ON THE WALL AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.

"It's so cool that your uncle is letting us use this as our campaign headquarters, Cat!" Tori lauds her.

Cat smiles innocently.

"Hey, where's Beck?" Robbie asks.

"Oh, he's on Jade's campaign team. She told him that if he worked for Tori, she would make him into a bologna sandwich and eat him for lunch."

Andre thinks about this for a moment.

"...not entirely sure what that means, but it can't be good. Bologna is nasty anyway."

Suddenly, Robbie excitedly hops from his chair and sprints up to the large flat-screen monitor at the front of the office.

"Oh! I almost forgot," he says excitedly, "this little baby is our window into the mood of the electorate."

He pushes the power button on the underside of the screen. A display reading "H.A.N.N. POLITICAL TRACKER" appears – short for "Hollywood Arts News Network".

"Not only can this program show us up-to-date polling, but it can also show us all of the polls and results from past elections. Check it out."

Robbie taps on the screen. A bar graph appears with four bars of different color. The two bars furthest to the left are significantly larger than the two on the right.

"What is this?" Tori asks.

"Ah, this is a graph of the poll that was conducted a week before all that stuff came out about Alexa and Lisa during last year's election."

Robbie taps the screen again. Names and numbers (in white) appear underneath the four bars:

(Red) Tanner/Valstock: 45.5%

(Blue) Robinson/Kingley: 45.1%

(Green) Vega/Garcia: 1.1%

(White) Undecided: 8.3%

"Wow", Tori remarks, "close."

"Then Alexa's texts leaked and it was revealed that Lisa had been paying people to vote for her..."

He swipes right on the screen. A new bar graph appears.

"And if we look at the numbers..." Robbie continues, "here are the final results from election day."

(Green) Vega/Garcia: 24.3% (290 votes)

(Red) Tanner/Valstock: 24.2% (289 votes)

(Blue) Robinson/Kingley: 18.8% (224 votes)

(Yellow) Write-in: 5.3% (63 votes)

(Gray) Did not vote: 27.4% (327 non-votes)

Tori scrunches her nose in disgust.

"Oof. One vote? We've had to spend a year with Trina as President because of ONE vote?"

"Yup," Andre confirms, "there was an automatic recount since the margin of victory was so close, but it didn't change anything."

"Huh," Tori says deliberately in Cat's direction, "if only SOMEONE had taken things more seriously and not written-in a fictional cartoon duck on her ballot..."

Cat nods in agreeance, oblivious to Tori's implication, "ugh! People can be so annoying!"

Tori sighs.

"Well, anyway," she continues, "we need to focus on the primary debate this week. We have to get in the top three to make it to the final election."

"Great!" Robbie says, "let's get to work!"

TRANSITION

INT. HOLLYWOOD ARTS (BLACKBOX THEATRE - BACKSTAGE) – NIGHT

THE TEN CANDIDATES MINGLE WITH EACH OTHER AND THEIR CAMPAIGN STAFFS.

TORI IS DRESSED TO THE NINES – A SMART-LOOKING OUTFIT WITH A PENCIL SKIRT AND HEELS.

Tori peeks out into the crowd. Around two hundred Hollywood Arts students fill the space, many holding signs with supportive messages and slogans backing particular candidates.

"Wow," she remarks to Andre, standing behind her, "a lot more people than I expected".

"Oh, just wait until we get past the primaries," Andre responds.

Robbie chimes in.

"Yeah, the school actually has a deal worked out with the Staples Center to let us use the venue for the three debates in the general election. I think there were something like 2200 people there for the final debate last year."

"The governor of California and a few state senators even made brief appearances," Cat pipes up.

Tori's eyes widen.

"All that for a local school election?"

"Hollywood Arts has a lot of sway," Robbie continues, "a decent number of celebs and politicians send their kids here. Plus the student-body President acts as an ambassador to the community, the city, and the state."

Tori gulps. She didn't expect this much pressure.

Andre puts his arm around her supportively.

"Relax Tor. You'll be just fine. Remember what we talked about."

She takes a deep breath.

"Right, right," she assures herself, "just remember to stay on topic and on point."

"And...?" Robbie prompts her.

Tori thinks for a moment.

"Oh! And whatever Trina says – always say the opposite."

Robbie looks at Cat and Andre.

"She's ready."

The gang continues to chat as the camera shifts to Beck and Jade. In contrast to Tori's professional outfit, Jade wears her usual everyday all-black ensemble.

"Are you sure you don't want to go over things one more time?" Beck urges her.

Jade runs her hand through her hair.

"For the last time: no, no, and NO. Besides, this was never about winning."

"Then...why are you doing this, again?"

Jade smirks, "you tell me."

Beck sighs.

"Helping the school?" he guesses.

"Nope."

"Getting over a fear of public speaking?"

"Try again."

The lightbulb goes off in Beck's head, "taking votes away from Tori to ensure that she doesn't make it past the primaries and is denied a little sliver of happiness and success because of some past perceived slight that has long since been forgotten?"

Jade smiles and runs her finger along his chin, "aw, you DO listen."

TRANSITION

INT. HOLLYWOOD ARTS (BLACKBOX THEATRE) – NIGHT

MR. SIKOWITZ SITS BEHIND A TABLE FACING TOWARDS THE STAGE.

"Good evening, everybody," Mr. Sikowitz says into the mic. The crowd cheers.

"It is my great pleasure to moderate this singular primary debate between our ten potential Hollywood Arts presidential candidates. It is from this field that you will choose the top three to move onto the general election."

The crowd cheers again.

"Now remember, this is your one and only chance to hear from these fine people before you vote this Friday."

He turns his attention to the candidates.

"Good evening, candidates".

All reply with a cheerful "good evening" - all except for Jade, who folds her arms and answers with a late and dull "hey."

"We will begin with questions written by the school board itself. We'll start with the candidate on my left."

TRANSITION

FAST-FORWARD TO LATER IN THE DEBATES.

Mr. Sikowitz reads off a card.

"Miss Tori Vega," he addresses her.

"Mr...uhh..." Tori answers, realizing that she has forgotten Mr. Sikowitz's first name, "...Sikowitz."

She smiles.

"Yes, anyway," Mr. Sikowitz continues, "if elected President of Hollywood Arts, what is the first thing that you would do on your first day in office?"

"I'm glad you asked," Tori responds, brimming with confidence and charisma, "I believe that one of the biggest issues facing Hollywood Arts is the lack of funding from this district. The most major obstacle is policy 124A enacted by the school-board in 2016. My first act would be to lobby the school-board to repeal this policy and ensure that Hollywood Arts secures proper funding for the next fiscal year."

Backstage, Robbie and Andre high-five while Cat gives a happy clap. Behind a podium to Tori's far left, Trina rolls her eyes.

Mr. Sikowitz turns to Jade.

"Miss West."

"Yeah? What?"

"Same question to you."

Jade noisily chaws on a piece of gum.

"I would enact a policy where boyfriends that don't pay attention when their girlfriend candidate is in a debate get fed into a wood-chipper - feet-first."

She is referring to Beck, who is standing just offstage with his face buried in his phone.

Jade leans back from the mic and yells at him.

"That better be your mom, dude!"

Beck quickly pockets his phone and folds his arms.

"Ohh—kay," Mr. Sikowitz says, his eyes widening, "moving on to Mr. Van Cleef."

He turns to Sinjin's podium.

"Same question to you, sir."

"Hey," Sinjin says, "do I get to choose a first-lady if I win this thing? Because I would GLADLY choose Jade if she wants to drop-out or doesn't make it past the primary."

He turns and looks at Jade, flicking his eyebrowns up and down suggestively. Jade gives him a disgusted and icy stare.

"Okay," she pipes up, turning back to Mr. Sikowitz and the audience, "I've changed my answer. If elected president, I would enact a policy on day one where Sinjin gets fed into a wood-chipper feet first."

Mr. Sikowitz gives a deep sigh and covers his face with his hand, "ugh, this is a nightmare."

TRANSITION

FAST-FORWARD TO THE END OF THE DEBATE

Jade answers a unseen previously asked question.

"Just think of it like a corkscrew being twisted into someone's brain stem. Nice and slowly."

Silence.

Mr. Sikowitz turns his attention to Trina. She's still wearing the "Madame President" sash.

"Okay, Trina Vega-" he starts.

"-ahp," she interrupts, pointing at the sash, "that's Madame President Trina S. Vega."

Mr. Sikowitz pauses for a moment.

"Okay, Trina Vega," he begins again, ignoring her correction, "the final question is one that has been written specifically for you."

He reads from the last card.

"As an incumbent President running for re-election, what would you consider the biggest accomplishment of your administration?"

"Oh, that's easy," Trina answers, "amending the school dress code to allow flip-flops."

"We had nineteen flip-flop trip-and-fall accidents last year" Tori says, leaning out over her podium to look at Trina, "not to mention that outbreak of athlete's foot last May. How is that a good thing?"

Trina looks at Sikowitz.

"Mr. Sikowitz!" she whines, "tell Tori that she's not allowed to interrupt me."

Sikowitz shrugs, "Oh, I don't care. I'm missing the Rams game for this."

Trina flashes Tori a nasty look. Tori smiles and shrugs.

TRANSITION

INT. HOLLYWOOD ARTS (COMMONS) – DAY

A LARGE CROWD OF STUDENTS (INCLUDING TORI, CAT, ANDRE, JADE, BECK, AND OTHERS) FACE A LARGE LCD TV HANGING ABOVE THE MAIN STAIRWAY.

ON THE TV, A YOUNG MAN AND WOMAN SIT BEHIND A NEWS-DESK, THE H.A.N.N. LOGO AT THE CORNER OF THE SCREEN. THE BANNER ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN READS "H.A.N.N. DECIDES 2020"

"Happy Friday afternoon, Hollywood Arts" the young man says into the camera, "for those of you just joining us, around 98% of the votes are in, but we here at Hollywood Arts News Network are ready to project the three candidates who will be moving onto the general election."

Cat squeals with excitement and puts her hand on Tori's shoulder.

The young man continues.

"With 52.2% of the vote, we are projecting that Tori Vega will be the first of the three final candidates in this year's general."

A graphic appears on screen with Tori's picture and a checkmark.

"Woo!" Tori cheers, high-fiving Andre, Cat, Robbie, and several others around her.

"What?!" Jade exclaims with incredulity. She turns around to Beck and aggressively grabs him by the lapels, "how could you let this happen?!"

Beck sputters and chokes.

"Babe, you're...ch...can't...breathe!"

With a loud huff, Jade releases him.

"Okay," she concedes, calming down, "okay, maybe this isn't your fault."

"With 34.6% of the vote," the young lady on the screen picks up, "our network is confident in projecting that the second candidate in the general will be Jade West."

A graphic appears on screen with Jade's picture and a checkmark.

Jade's temper immediately flares again.

"What?!" she shrieks.

Once more, she turns around to Beck and aggressively grabs him by the lapels, "how could you let this happen?!"

Tori's elation turns to shock. "Beck!" she shouts at him, "how could you let this happen?"

At this point, Beck is caught between two girls yelling at him, his face turning a deep shade of purplish-red from Jade's vice-grip.

"I don't know what's happening right now, guys!" he splutters.

"And with 6.8% of the vote" the young man on the screen continues, "it appears that incumbent President Trina Vega and Vice President Stefany Garcia will survive to defend their places in office."

A loud cheer is heard from off-camera on the news broadcast, briefly distracting the two student anchors.

Tori gives a deep sigh and covers her face with her hand (a la Mr. Sikowitz from the primary debates).

"This is a nightmare."

END OF ACT II


	3. Act III - The First Debate

Hey all!

Before I get messages saying "script formats aren't allowed!", I'm well aware. But as I'm trying my best to stick to the feel of an actual episode of the show, this fanfic really only works as a script – the hybrid format I used for Act II was clunky and hard to read. So, in light of that, I plan to just keep on with the script format until the story either gets removed or an admin tells me to change it (I know, I'm a badass).

Thank you for your patience! Now! On with the story. Oh, and as always, please leave a review (good or bad) if you can!

ACT III

TRANSITION

INT. LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM – DAY

IT'S THE DAY BEFORE THE FIRST DEBATES OF THE GENERAL ELECTION BETWEEN TORI, JADE, AND TRINA.

TORI'S CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS ARE BUZZING. TORI, ANDRE, ROBBIE/REX, CAT, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER UNNAMED STUDENTS ARE HARD AT WORK AMIDST PILES OF BOOKS AND NUMEROUS OPEN LAPTOPS.

TORI LOOKS AT A LAPTOP SCREEN OVER THE SHOULDER OF AN ASIAN BOY WITH GLASSES (STEVE).

**TORI **(to Steve): Okay! First campaign ad looks great, Steve.

**STEVE **(to Tori): Excellent. We'll run it during tomorrow's morning announcements.

ROBBIE WALKS UP BEHIND TORI AND TAPS HER ON THE SHOULDER. HE HANDS HER A PACKET OF STAPLED PAPERS.

**ROBBIE: **Here are your finalized talking points for the first debate tomorrow night, Tori.

TORI SKIMS OVER THE MATERIAL.

**TORI **(to herself, nodding): Alright...school funding...saving the school's string ensemble...

SHE STOPS ABRUPTLY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

**TORI **(quizzically): ...The Rex Act?

**REX **(to Tori): Ah, legislature to outlaw the usage of the word "puppet" at Hollywood Arts.

TORI SARCASTICALLY SMILES AND PATS THE SIDE OF REX'S FACE WITH HER HAND.

**TORI **(to Robbie/Rex)**: **I'll see what I can do.

SHE WALKS AWAY. REX TURNS TO LOOK AT ROBBIE.

**REX** (to Robbie): She has the softest hands. Very presidential.

TORI COMES ACROSS ANDRE, HIS FACE BURIED IN HIS PHONE.

**TORI **(to Andre): Hey hey, whatchu working on?

**ANDRE: **Just keeping tabs on Jade and Trina's social media – y'know, getting a feel for where their campaigns are.

**TORI**: Oh. I mean, I don't think we need to worry that much. Jade could not have cared less during the primary debate and Trina is...well...Trina.

SHE BLOWS A BUBBLE WITH HER GUM AND POPS IT WITH HER TONGUE.

**TORI: **I think we have this one in the bag.

**ANDRE: **Just covering all the bases. Oh! And nice job on the Vice President pick.

HE TAPS ON HIS PHONE SCREEN.

**ANDRE **(reading from his phone): Madeline R. Valstock – straight-A student, head of the Hollywood Arts Musical Council, and former VP candidate. Oh, and fluent in American Sign Language.

**TORI **(to Andre): You sure you're not mad that I didn't ask you?

**ANDRE: **Not at all. I prefer to do things behind the scenes anyway.

CAT EXCITEDLY RUNS UP TO TORI, PEAR® TABLET IN HAND.

**CAT: **Tori! New pre-debate polls are up!

TORI TAKES THE TABLET FROM CAT; CAT SQUEALS WITH EXCITEMENT AND CLASPS HER HANDS TOGETHER.

**TORI **(looking at the tablet with confusion): Cat, this is an article on how to cook mushrooms.

**CAT: **Oh! Oops!

CAT SWIPES ON THE SCREEN OF THE TABLET.

**TORI: **Hey! Sixty-percent! Forty-two points ahead of Jade! Not too shabby.

A LANKY BOY WITH SHORT BROWN HAIR (DAVE) CALLS TO TORI FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM.

**DAVE **(to Tori)**: **Miss Vega! Jade West just announced her running-mate on her Slap page!

**ANDRE **(to Tori): Who do you suppose she picked?

**TORI **(to Andre): Who do you think? Who's the only person that's able to tolerate her presence for more tha-

IT CLICKS.

**ANDRE: **-Beck. Right.

TORI TAPS HER FINGER ON HER NOSE WITH A SMILE.

**TORI: **Alright people! Keep working hard! We got this!

HER CAMPAIGN STAFF CHEERS.

[TRANSITION]

STATUS (TORI): FIRST DEBATES TONIGHT! STAPLES CENTER GONNA BE ON FIRE! TORI 2020! [FEELING: CONFIDENT]

INT. STAPLES CENTER (BACKSTAGE) – NIGHT

TORI, ROBBIE/REX, ANDRE, AND CAT MINGLE AMONGST A LARGE GROUP OF WELL-DRESSED STUDENTS. THE WALLS ARE COVERED WITH RED, WHITE, AND BLUE BANNERS.

**CAT **(delighted)**: **Oooo. Everything looks so...fancy and patriotic!

HER VISION CATCHES A PUT TOGETHER MIDDLE-AGED MAN WALKING THROUGH THE BACKSTAGE AREA.

**CAT **(to Andre): Hey, who's that?

**ANDRE **(to Cat): Oh, that's Mr. Simms. He's a professor of political science at UC-Santa Cruz.

**ROBBIE **(chiming in): Our school uses a neutral moderator for the three debates of the general election. Smart guy. Was an advisor for Obama during both of his campaigns.

A PRETTY BRUNETTE (MADELINE VALSTOCK) ENTERS FROM THE RIGHT, HER STILETTO HEELS CLICKING ON THE FLOOR.

**TORI **(to Madeline): Maddie! You look amazing, girl!

SHE GIVES HER A HUG.

**MADELINE: **You ready, future Madame President?

TORI SMILES.

**TORI: **Absolutely. Got my talking points all in order.

**CAT:** You're not nervous?

**TORI: **Why would I be nervous? I think it's actually gonna be kinda fun! Besides, I haven't even seen Jade. I'll bet she shows up last minute dressed like a-

BEFORE TORI CAN FINISH, JADE ENTERS. HER OUTFIT IS SURPRISINGLY PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS-LIKE. HER HAIR IS TIED BACK INTO A SHARP-LOOKING PONYTAIL.

BECK FOLLOWS BEHIND HER, DRESSED IN A BUTTON-UP SHIRT AND TIE WITH THE SLEEVES ROLLED UP. BOTH WEAR "WEST/OLIVER 2020" BUTTONS ON THEIR LAPELS.

**MADELINE **(to Tori)**: **I...thought you said she wasn't taking this seriously.

**TORI: **I didn't think she was. But don't worry! As soon as the debates start, I'm sure she'll be her usual snarky and sarcastic self.

TORI SMIRKS CONFIDENTLY.

**TORI **(cont'd): Relax. This'll be a cinch.

TRANSITION – QUICK CUT

LATER IN THE DEBATES.

TORI, JADE, AND TRINA STAND BEHIND THREE PODIUMS ATOP THE STAGE. THE CROWD – SOME TWELVE HUNDRED STRONG – LOOKS ON. MR. SIMMS SITS AT A TABLE FACING THE CANDIDATES.

TORI ANSWERS A PREVIOUSLY-UNSEEN QUESTION WITH HER USUAL CONFIDENT CHARISMA. SHE HAS THIS ONE IN THE BAG.

**TORI **(to the moderator and the crowd): ...of which ticket sales to performances by the string ensemble contributes a vital eight percent of all total revenue.

TORI RUNS HER HAND THROUGH HER HAIR.

**TORI **(cont'd): -which shows why the string ensemble is an important part of Hollywood Ar-

JADE INTERRUPTS.

**JADE: **-yeah, actually, Tori, you're completely wrong on that.

TORI STOPS IN HER TRACKS, CLEARLY TAKEN ABACK BY THE INTERRUPTION.

**TORI **(to Jade): Oh really?

SHE SMIRKS CONFIDENTLY AND FOLDS HER ARMS.

**TORI **(cont'd): Well then by all means, Jade, please explain.

JADE ANSWERS WITHOUT HESITATION.

**JADE**: Gladly. That figure you're quoting is from the Spring of 2010. The total revenue of ticket sales from the string ensemble during the Fall of 2019 was less than a quarter of that.

IT IS NOW JADE'S TURN TO SMIRK.

**JADE** (to Tori): -hardly justifies wasting vital Hollywood Arts funding on a dying extracurricular. Unless that's what you want.

SHE TURNS TO TORI.

**JADE **(to Tori): Is that what you want, Vega?

TORI BALKS. ALL SHE CAN DO IN RESPONSE IS LOOK BACK AT JADE UNCOMFORTABLY.

**MR. SIMMS **(to Tori): Miss Vega? Your response?

**TORI** (fumbling with her words): Uhm...well...the...the...uh, numbers...

**JADE** (to Tori): - oh my, sounds like someone doesn't have an answer. May I, Mr. Simms?

MR. SIMMS GESTURES FOR HER TO CONTINUE. BEFORE SHE CAN, TRINA CHIMES IN.

**TRINA **(to Mr. Simms): Hey, hello! I'm here too, y'know.

**JADE **(to Trina): And if a question comes up about how to run this school into the dust, we'll come find you.

LAUGHTER FROM THE CROWD. TRINA SCOWLS.

**MR. SIMMS **(to Jade): Please, continue, Miss West.

**JADE **(cont'd, to the crowd): I propose dissolving the string ensemble. The money saved can be used to boost the school's orchestra, something that is in dire need of additional funding...

JADE CONTINUES SPEAKING. BACKSTAGE, ANDRE, ROBBIE/REX, CAT, AND THE REST OF TORI'S CAMPAIGN STAFF LOOKS ON. MANY HAVE WORRIED EXPRESSIONS ON THEIR FACES.

**ANDRE **(to no-one in particular): Oh boy. This is not good.

**CAT: **Ugh, this is the Kennedy vs. Nixon opening debate of 1960 all over again.

ANDRE AND ROBBIE LOOK AT HER QUIZZICALLY. CAT ISN'T USUALLY KNOWN FOR SUCH ASTUTE KNOWLEDGE OF MUCH OF ANYTHING, LET ALONE AMERICAN POLITICAL HISTORY.

**CAT **(meekly)**: **...it was a Buzzfeed article.

ANDRE AND ROBBIE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT HER WITH CONFUSION.

**CAT **(cont'd): ...that I mistakenly clicked on while I was taking a quiz on which Scooby-Doo villain I would be in real life...

**ANDRE AND ROBBIE **(both speaking over each other)**: **Ah, okay. Yeah, that makes more sense. Right, right. I figured it was something like that.

**REX: **Ooo, I took that quiz! I got the Ghost Clown!

BACK ONSTAGE, JADE FINISHES HER ANSWER.

**JADE: **...and an estimated thirty-six percent improvement over the past fiscal year.

A LIGHTBULB GOES OFF IN TORI'S HEAD. FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, SHE RE-FINDS HER FOOTING.

**TORI **(to Mr. Simms): May I address my fellow candidate?

**MR. SIMMS **(to Tori): Of course.

TORI TURNS TO JADE, PUSHING WHAT'S LEFT OF HER CONFIDENCE.

**TORI **(to Jade): If you're going to dissolve the string ensemble, then I'd like to see you explain that to the ensemble members who will suddenly have nothing to do after school.

TORI SMILES ASSUREDLY AT MADELINE SITTING IN THE FRONT ROW. MADELINE GIVES HER A THUMBS UP.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE BOTH OF THEM, JADE IS TWO STEPS AHEAD.

**JADE **(to Tori): Oh, I already have.

SHE HOLDS UP A HALF SHEET OF PAPER FILLED WITH SIGNATURES.

**JADE **(cont'd): In fact, I collected the signatures of all twenty-two ensemble members stating that they would be okay with the ensemble being dissolved so long as they are still allowed to meet in room 305B on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

IN THE CROWD, A GROUP OF STUDENTS HOLD UP VIOLIN-SHAPED SIGNS WITH "WEST/OLIVER 2020" PRINTED ACROSS THEM.

**TORI **(to Jade): 305B? Jade! You know that's where I do my vocal training with Mrs. Telson on Tuesdays and Thursdays every week!

**JADE **(to Tori): Try to be a little less selfish, Tori. Oh! And that reminds me – I also got Mrs. Telson's signature as well.

IN THE THIRD ROW, A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN WITH GLASSES (MRS. TELSON) HOLDS UP A "WEST/OLIVER 2020" SIGN.

**TORI **(to Mrs. Telson, appalled): Suzanne!

**MRS. TELSON **(to Tori, pointing at Jade): She's offering me a parking spot closer to the building if she wins.

TORI FLASHES A DESPERATE LOOK TO MADELINE. ALL THAT HER RUNNING-MATE CAN OFFER IS A SHRUG.

TRANSITION

IT IS THE END OF THE DEBATES. THE CANDIDATES ARE MAKING THEIR CLOSING STATEMENTS. JADE IS FINISHING HERS.

**JADE **(to the crowd)**: **And so, my fellow students, if elected, I will lead with responsibility, compassion, and the utmost respect for the foundations upon which Hollywood Arts is built. Oh, and one last thing-

SHE GESTURES TOWARDS THE VEGA SISTERS. TRINA FILES HER NAILS. TORI LEANS ON HER PODIUM, HER HEAD DOWN IN DEFEAT.

**JADE **(cont'd): I say the last thing we need is more Vega's poisoning the water well.

HER REMARKS DRAW ROUSING APPLAUSE AND CHEERS FROM THE CROWD.

**MR. SIMMS **(to the crowd): Okay, okay, everybody settle down.

HE ADDRESSES TORI.

**MR. SIMMS **(to Tori): Miss Vega, your final statement for the night?

**TORI **(quickly, abruptly, and completely sapped of energy): Yeah, whatever, good night, Los Angeles.

THE CAMERA SWITCHES TO BACKSTAGE. MOST OF TORI'S CAMPAIGN STAFF HAS LEFT. ANDRE HAS HIS HAND OVER HIS FACE. REX BRIEFLY HOLDS UP A MINI "WEST 2020" PENNANT UNTIL ROBBIE SNATCHES IT AWAY FROM HIM.

END OF ACT III


	4. Act IV - The Second Debate

ACT IV

INT. HOLLYWOOD ARTS (COMMONS) – DAY

IT'S THE DAY FOLLOWING THE FIRST DEBATE. TORI, ANDRE, AND CAT ARE GATHERED AROUND TORI'S LOCKER.

**TORI **(to the gang): Guys, I appreciate the kind words, but let's face it – I absolutely bombed last night.

**ANDRE **(to Tori): Aw, come on now, Tor, nobody's saying that.

A BOY IN 1920's CLOTHING AND A NEWSBOY CAP WALKS BY, CARRYING A SATCHEL FULL OF NEWSPAPERS.

**NEWSPAPER BOY **(holding up a newspaper): Morning edition! Hot off the presses! Tori Vega bombs at first debates!

THE BOY WALKS OFF-SCREEN. THE GANG STANDS IN CONFUSED SILENCE FOR A MOMENT.

**ROBBIE **(to Tori)**: **Anyway, you still have two debates to make up for last night.

**ANDRE: **Yeah, you had no way of knowing that Jade was actually going to take this thing seriously. All we need to do is get our talking points in order.

TORI SIGHS.

**CAT **(to Tori): Have you talked to Maddie at all since last night?

**TORI **(to Cat): Nope, I'm giving it a bit of time. She's a nice girl but she has a little bit of a temp-

AN ANGRY VOICE INTERRUPTS HER.

**MADELINE: **Hey! Vega!

A VISIBLY-IRATE MADELINE STORMS UP TO TORI.

TORI GULPS AND TURNS AROUND.

**MADELINE **(cont'd): What on God's green earth was that last night?

**TORI **(to Madeline): Maddie, I...

**MADELINE **(interrupting): - you didn't check your numbers before presenting them?

**TORI **(stammering): No...I mean, well, I did but...

**MADELINE **(snarling): - I lost out on the vice presidency last year by one vote. One. Vote!

SHE PUTS HER HAND ON TORI'S CHEEK.

**MADELINE **(cont'd, all in one breath): I am going to Penn, pre-med. I am going to Penn's Perelman School of Medicine. I am going to get my name published in the American Journal of Medicine for advancements in cardiology.

TORI'S EYES WIDEN.

**MADELINE** (cont'd): And it all starts with a tip-top college application that won't include how I would have won the vice presidency two years in a row had it not been for two running-mates that didn't know how to direct a campaign!

IN AN ATTEMPT TO DIFFUSE THE TENSION, TORI PICKS AN ILL TIME FOR A WISECRACK.

**TORI **(to Madeline, chuckling): But if we do lose, you can always settle for Stanford, right?

SHE SMILES. MADELINE GLARES AT HER, WIPING THE SMILE OFF HER FACE WITHIN SECONDS.

**MADELINE **(to Tori, her index finger in Tori's face): Fix this.

SHE TURNS AROUND AND WALKS AWAY IN A HUFF.

TORI SIGHS AGAIN.

[TRANSITION]

EXT. HOLLYWOOD ARTS (ASPHALT CAFE) - DAY

STILL DRESSED IN UNUSUALLY PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE, JADE WALKS AROUND TO THE VARIOUS TABLES AND GROUPS OF STUDENTS, SHAKING HANDS WITH AN UNCHARACTERISTIC GLOWING SMILE.

TORI WALKS UP BEHIND HER AND TAPS HER ON THE SHOULDER. JADE TURNS AROUND.

**JADE **(to Tori): Uh, I'm a little busy here, Vega.

**TORI **(to Jade): I don't care. You. Me. Talk. Janitor's closet. Now.

TORI GRABS JADE BY THE ARM AND LEADS HER AWAY.

[TRANSITION – QUICK CUT]

INT. HOLLYWOOD ARTS (JANITOR'S CLOSET) – DAY

TORI LEADS JADE INTO THE CLOSET AND SHUTS THE DOOR BEHIND THEM.

**TORI **(to Jade): Okay, look, I know that you may have everybody else fooled, but you and I both know that you don't believe in a single word that you said last night.

**JADE **(smirking): Oh, really? Enlighten me.

**TORI** (counting on her fingers as she speaks): Where do I start, Jade? Securing more funding by dissolving the string ensemble, installing solar panels on the roof to lower carbon emissions, new Japanese floor buffers for the janitorial staff...

**JADE **(in response, counting on her fingers as she speaks): More money for the drama department, helping reduce the impact of the school on the environment, and the Japanese make good stuff. Your point?

**TORI **(flummoxed): What made you want to suddenly turn on the juice? First, you said that school government was for losers-

**JADE**: And it is.

**TORI **(cont'd): Then you said that the only reason you were running in the primaries was to take votes away from me.

**JADE: **And I did.

**TORI **(cont'd): Now, all of the sudden, you're actually taking this thing seriously?

**JADE: **Here's the thing, Tori. You're right, originally I was just running as a stunt. But then something incredibly simple occurred to me...

SHE TAPS TORI ON THE NOSE. TORI SLAPS HER HAND AWAY.

**JADE: **...if Tori Vega becomes student-body President, I would have to put up with a year of Tori Vega being student-body President and seeing that gross lopsided smile plastered everywhere.

TORI FOLDS HER ARMS.

**TORI: **Oh God, you're actually running a serious campaign. How c—hey! What do you mean by gross lopsided smile?

**JADE: **You might as well just drop out now, Vega. If you thought I was on the attack last night, you just wait until the second debate on Wednesday.

TORI'S EYES NARROW WITH CONTEMPT. JADE'S PHONE CHIMES.

**JADE **(looking at her phone): Anyway, I gotta run. Campaign rally.

SHE OPENS THE CLOSET DOOR AND EXITS, LEAVING BEHIND A BEWILDERED TORI.

ONE OF THE JANITORS (CARL) ENTERS, WEARING A "WEST/OLIVER 2020" BUTTON ON HIS UNIFORM.

**TORI **(to Carl): Oh come on, Carl, not you too.

CARL SHRUGS.

**CARL: **Hey, what can I say? The Japanese make good stuff.

TORI ROLLS HER EYES, THROWS HER HEAD BACK, AND LETS OUT AN EXASPERATED SIGH.

[TRANSITION]

INT. STAPLES CENTER (BACKSTAGE) – NIGHT

IT'S THE NIGHT OF THE SECOND DEBATE.

BECK WALKS UP TO THE GANG (TORI, ANDRE, ROBBIE/REX, CAT).

**BECK **(extending his hand to Tori): Best of luck tonight, Tori.

**TORI **(smiling and shaking his hand): Thanks, Beck. Where's your running-mate?

**BECK: **Last time I saw, she was studying a pocket version of the school charter in the parking lot.

TORI FROWNS.

**TORI: **Hey, let me ask you something: have you ever seen Jade so invested in anything?

BECK THINKS FOR A MOMENT.

**BECK: **Uhhh...nothing that didn't involve people getting flayed open by a chef's knife.

HIS PHONE CHIRPS.

**BECK: **Uhp, that's Jade. I better go before she sees me talking to you, otherwise I'll never get my guitar back.

**TORI: **Wait, she has your guitar?

**BECK **(over his shoulder, walking in the opposite direction): How do you think she got me to be her running-mate in the first place?

TORI TURNS BACK TO THE GANG. A MAN WEARING A HEADSET AND CARRYING A CLIPBOARD WALKS UP TO THEM.

**CREW MEMBER: **Fifteen seconds until stage-time, Miss Vega.

TORI FIXES HER SKIRT AND SECURES HER PONYTAIL.

**TORI** (to herself): Okay. Okay. Deep breaths, Tori. Deep breaths.

**ANDRE: **Relax, Tor. Seriously. Remember all those hours we spent preparing new talking points so that Jade won't be able to back you into a corner this time.

**REX: **Go get 'em, slick.

**CAT: **And don't even worry about the fact that your lead has dropped twenty-six points in the pol-

ANDRE LOOKS AT CAT WITH WIDE EYES AND MAKES THE "CUT-OFF" GESTURE WITH HIS HAND ACROSS HIS THROAT.

TORI FLASHES A GLARE AT CAT.

**CAT: **...nevermind.

[TRANSITION]

INT. STAPLES CENTER (MAIN FLOOR) – NIGHT

TORI AND JADE EACH STAND BEHIND PODIUMS ATOP THE STAGE. TRINA IS NOTABLY ABSENT. THE CROWD – SOME FIFTEEN HUNDRED STRONG – LOOKS ON. MR. SIMMS SITS AT A TABLE FACING THE CANDIDATES.

MR. SIKOWITZ APPEARS ON STAGE.

**MR. SIKOWITZ** (via microphone, to the crowd): Good evening, all.

THE CROWD CHEERS.

**MR. SIKOWITZ **(after the crowd noise dies down): As you may have noticed, we only have two candidates on-stage tonight. Trina Vega officially dropped out of the race earlier today. Something about the presidency causing grey hair...

MURMURS FROM THE CROWD.

**MR. SIKOWITZ: **Therefore, for the first time since the election of 1966, we will continue onwards with only two primary candidates. But, bear in mind that you may write-in an alternative candidate of your choosing on election day.

THE CAMERA SHOWS SINJIN SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE. HIS T-SHIRT READS: "VAN KLEEF/WATSON FOR PREZ". HE NODS WITH A SLY SMILE.

**MR. SIKOWITZ **(to the crowd): And with that, I will now hand things over to Mr. Simms.

[TRANSITION]

LATER IN THE DEBATES; TORI CONFIDENTLY ANSWERS A PREVIOUSLY-UNSEEN QUESTION.

**TORI **(to Mr. Simms): Oh, Chuck, character is everything. Without character, people don't trust you. And I can truly say that my character is trustworthy and honest.

**JADE **(at Tori, without looking up from her podium): ...which is why you hooked up with Steve Marsden this past summer at the same time you were dating Colin Trentwell, right? When Mr. Trentwell was away in Scotland?

TORI LOOKS AT JADE; HER JAW DROPS.

THE CROWD GASPS AND MURMURS.

MR. SIMMS PUTS HIS HAND UP.

**MR. SIMMS **(to the audience): People, people, quiet please.

HE TURNS HIS ATTENTION BACK TO THE CANDIDATES.

**MR. SIMMS **(to Jade and Tori): As you both know, honesty is an important value to voters. Your personal life aside, Miss Vega, is this true?

**JADE **(interrupting, to Mr. Simms): - oh, I have the transcript from texts she sent me, Chuck.

SHE PULLS OUT A PIECE OF PAPER AND BEGINS READING FROM IT.

**JADE **(reading from paper): June 26th. 6:15 pm. Jade, it was incredible. Steve is such a sweetheart.

MORE GASPS AND MURMURS FROM THE CROWD.

**JADE **(cont'd, reading from paper): June 26th, 6:23 pm. No. There's no way Colin possibly knows, he's half a world away.

BACKSTAGE, TORI'S CAMPAIGN STAFF LOOKS ON WITH CONCERN.

**JADE: **(cont'd, reading from paper): June 26th, 6:28 pm. Idk. Colin is a nice guy, but a big reason why I really started dating him was bc his dad knows a bunch of televis-

**TORI **(reaching over and snatching the paper from Jade): Okay! Okay! We get it! I lied, big deal!

MORE MURMURS FROM THE CROWD.

**JADE **(to the crowd): So I'll ask you, the student-body, a simple question. If Tori Vega is cool with lying to you about something as vital as her own character, what else is she comfortable lying about?

ONCE MORE, MR. SIMMS PUTS HIS HAND UP.

**MR. SIMMS **(to the crowd): Settle down, folks.

BACKSTAGE

**ANDRE **(over his shoulder and speaking to Cat in a hushed tone): Cat Valentine, I thought Tori had you go through her texts so we could get ahead of any potential scandals.

**CAT **(to Andre): Tori's a talkative girl. I only got through like three weeks of texts. Then I took a nap.

ANDRE SIGHS.

**ANDRE **(exasperated): And then...?

CAT SHRUGS SWEETLY.

**CAT **(innocently): That was the end of the story. That's why I stopped talking. I can say more if you want. Like last week, my brother got booked by CHP for illegally posssesing a live mongoo-

**ANDRE **(cutting her off): No no, I'm good.

BACK ON STAGE, TORI IS SWEATING UNDER THE LIGHTS. SHE LOOKS AT MADELINE – SEATED IN THE FRONT ROW - FOR REASSURANCE, BUT ALL HER RUNNING-MATE OFFERS IS THE ASL GESTURE FOR "COLLEGE" FOLLOWED BY GESTURES FOR "DOWN" AND "DRAIN".

**TORI **(frustrated, out loud to Madeline): Stop that! I don't know what you're saying!

**JADE: **Once again, Hollywood Arts, it appears that Miss Vega doesn't have the answers. She's willing to lie about pretty much anything to succeed. But I agree with her that honesty is the most important quality of a good president. That, among many other reasons, is why my opponent isn't qualified.

SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE SHOUTS "WE LOVE YOU, JADE!"

THE CROWD ERUPTS INTO APPLAUSE AND CHEERS. HUNDREDS OF HANDS HOLD UP "WEST/OLIVER 2020" SIGNS. MR. SIMMS REALIZES HE'S OVERMATCHED AND HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO LET IT CONTINUE.

HE GIVES TORI AN APOLOGETIC EXPRESSION.

REALIZING THAT SHE'S OVERMATCHED, TORI UNTIES HER PONYTAIL (LETTING HER HAIR DOWN) AND WALKS OFFSTAGE. SHE PASSES THROUGH THE BACKSTAGE AREA.

**CAT **(to Tori): Tori...girl...

TORI DOESN'T STOP. SHE SPEAKS OFF-HAND AS SHE WALKS BY HER, ANDRE, AND ROBBIE/REX TOWARDS A DOOR MARKED "TO DRESSING AREA".

**TORI** (without making eye contact): Don't talk to me.

SHE ANGRILY PUSHES THE DOOR OPEN. IT CLOSES BEHIND HER WITH A LOUD "CLANG!"

HER CAMPAIGN STAFF STANDS STUNNED. NOBODY SAYS A WORD OR MOVES A MUSCLE. THE MUFFLED SOUNDS OF THE EXUBERANT CROWD CHANTING JADE'S NAME CAN BE HEARD.

REX SLOWLY RAISES ANOTHER "WEST/OLIVER 2020" PENNANT AND, ONCE AGAIN, ROBBIE GRABS IT OUT OF HIS HAND.

**ROBBIE **(to Rex): Where do you keep getting these?

**REX **(to Robbie): Don't worry about it.

END OF ACT IV


End file.
